Amiga 500itX - My answer to Commodore USA!

Enzo45s

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Posts
233
Country
Italy
Region
Campania
Hi everyone! :D

The idea of enclose modern hardware into a vintage AIO computer's case (especially C64 and Amiga) started spreading around the world the world some years ago with lots of homemade DIY projects, I've seen a Mac Mini in an A1200, a Minimig in an A600 and lots of normal PCs (either micro atx and mini itx) in various A500s.

We also know about the new Commodore USA and "its" products, right in these days they started delivering their brand new C64x to customers, which is such a "large scale industrial adaptation" of the idea I was talking before.

So, I had some old but still working pieces of hardware I wasn't using anymore at home, so I said: why not? :p
Here's my own low-cost project to get a (more or less) modern computer with that retro-looking we all like, the Amiga 500itX! ;)

Here's a list of things I already had:
Original Amiga 500 case with some yellowing
Maxtor 120gb IDE HDD
LG IDE DVD-ROM
Trust Mini 4 USB ports HUB
Unbranded USB SD card reader
Cables, switches, screws...

and things I needed/still need to buy:
VIA Epia C800 mini-itx used mobo (VIA C3 @800MHz CPU + 256mb RAM): 30€ on Ebay
SUNTEK Micro ATX 150W new PSU: 19€ on Ebay
Individual Computers Keyrah Amiga Version: 31€ on Vesalia's online store
Standard A1200 keyboard: I still haven't it, but I found a friend who can sell it to me on an italian Amiga forum.

Now project it's almost finished, just need to mount on the A1200 keyboard and to improve/fix some little parts.

Let's start! :LOL:
Here's the part 1, when I fitted and fixed the mobo some days ago:

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Then, I installed new LEDs for Power and HDD activity on the top part of the case, drowning them in the hot glue... I don't like so much how them look like, I think I'll use original LEDs, just have to desolder them from the old keyboard. (y)

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Here's where I placed the USB SD card reader, at the empty floppy drive slot! ;)

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Here comes the Trust Mini 4 USB ports HUB, I placed it whit some glue where there were the joystick ports!

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I placed the HDD simply with 4 screws from the bottom:

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I think that's enough for now :D
I'll post part 2 pics later (y)
 
Hey it's seems to be very well!
A good job! (y)
I look forward to see the next pics.
 
Nice thinking! I hope it turns out like you want it (y)
May i make a few suggestions? I know you got it all planned like the way you thought, but if it were mine, i'd move the hard disk further in, and place a floppy drive also. I'd put the card reader on some other opening, and use the floppy to read .adf files just to have the extra-retro-feeling.
That's just me of course, good luck with your project! :)
 
Oooo, some darn fine hackery in progress there!

I await part two with interest.... :popcorn:
 
I love this idea, its pretty awesome. I always wanted to attempt something like this.

One thing I don't understand is how will you get an A1200 keyboard working on that mobo?

Cheers
 
very well, I am busy with C64. You have one benefit, matx seems to fit.. Keep us informed we all like projects like this(y)
 
I love this idea, its pretty awesome. I always wanted to attempt something like this.

One thing I don't understand is how will you get an A1200 keyboard working on that mobo?

Cheers

A Keyrah would sort this out, wouldn't it?
 
I love this idea, its pretty awesome. I always wanted to attempt something like this.

One thing I don't understand is how will you get an A1200 keyboard working on that mobo?

Cheers

A Keyrah would sort this out, wouldn't it?

Yep it would you can connect those right to the USB header the 64/128
are the same way..

:coffee:
 
Thank you guys :D I'm happy you like what I'm doing!

Before posting part 2, I'll reply to who gave me advice or asked something:

@salaxi54: Yeah, using a floppy drive for this purpose is exactly what I wanted to do originally, but unfortunately in the available space I had to fit also the power supply which is small for "normal" computer cases but big for the A500 case at the same time. Secondly, as I'm trying to spend as little as possible money, I didn't buy any 2,5" HDD and 2,5" to 3,5" IDE adapter, then I used that old 3,5" Maxtor.
Anyway, I'm remembering about it right now, I should still have an USB slim floppy drive (the type used for laptops), if I'll find it I'll try to fit it, removing the card reader and placing it elsewhere, e.g. at the Zorro slot cover, at the opposite side of the A500! (y)

@Jimbo1979: As Merlin and ChrisUnionNJ said, it's possible with the Keyrah interface from Individual Computers. This is an awesome adapter, the standard version allows to use a C64/VIC 20, C16, C128 and C128D keyboard as a standard HID USB keyboard for all modern computers, including modern AmigaOne and Acube products! There is also an Amiga version, the one I purchased, wich allows to use A600 and A1200 keyboards. The Keyrah was originally intended to be used as a replacement of the defective mobo of your classic computer, allowing you to use that computer as a keyboard for the PC, Mac or whatever you use every day. In addition, both versions have two standard Atari joystick ports (the 9pin port also used on Commodore and other computers/consoles), so classic retro-joysticks could be used for a perfect emulation experience! :D

Now you can enjoy part 2! ;)

I placed the Power and Reset switches with some glue.
I think I'll improve them as they look so ugly IMHO.

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Then, here finally comes the PSU! :)

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I had to work on the plastic again (always using a rasp, no dremel!)

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I also added a small fan for the CPU. It's designed for being fanless, but I think it's better keeping it always cool (y)

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And then we arrive to the actual progress status, two days ago the Keyrah interface arrived from Vesalia.

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Things I'll do:

When I'll get the A1200 keyboard, I'll mount it immediately using the Keyrah.
I'll also use joystick extensions for easy access to the joystick ports, I'll probably put them on the Zorro slot cover, together with the SD card reader.
Of course, I also need two 4pin internal USB cables (so I can enable two more USB ports for internal devices such as the card reader and the Keyrah) and if I can find it, the mobo's metal plate for closing the case better, it will look like the back of the C64x! :LOL:

I'll post some photos when I'll do these things :nod:
 
Enzo, you're doing a great job! (y) Have you the backplate of the motherboard? If so, it would help to put it in place, to eliminate dust as much as possible. One question: have you at least tried fitting the A500 keyboard in place, to see if it fits? I know you will use the A1200 keyboard, because it is compatible with the Keyrah interface, but i sense your RAM stick might be a little too high. You might have to swap it for a low profile RAM.. :)
 
Well if you went to a 2.5 HD and moved the USB hub you could fit the
Keyrah right to were the joystick ports are that would seem like less
work and more a stock look..


caffeine.gif
 
Hi all! ;)

After a long time I'm here again, I did some other job... let's see.

First: I moved to a powerful and more compatible motherboard: Intel D510MO with an onboard Atom D150 Dual Core @1.67ghz and 2gb DDR2 RAM!

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I found an old and broken A500 keyboard and an A1200 keyboard membraine. I put the A1200 membraine in the A500 keyboard and, after some adaptations, I finally hook it up to the Keyrah! I know that some keys are missing and it's yellowed, it's just an "experiment". I already ordered another keyboard in better conditions.

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Then I placed it into the computer... with a bad surprise.
Bye bye joystick ports! There isn't enough space to connect them to some extension leads... :(
But I'm considering to buy an USB Competition Pro joystick (y)

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I just ordered this cable from Amigakit, together with other Amiga items.
I need it to hook up the Keyboard to an internal USB header. It has no sense using an external port for this purpose, don't you think? ;)

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I also bought an IDE/SATA converter for using the 120gb IDE HDD with the new motherboard, which has SATA ports only.

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So, here's how the A500itX looks like now...

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Future improvements:

Change the keyboard with a better one;
Hook up the keyboard with the Amigakit USB type B to internal header cable;
Hook up the 4 ports USB hub to the second internal header, with a cable also ordered from Amigakit;
Fit a slim DVD burner where once there was the floppy drive (SD card reader removed);
Make a new motherboard backplate (the original one is too high and it's difficult to fit);
Find two better switches for PWR and RESET! (y)

That's all for now! :cool:

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:20 ----------

Enzo, you're doing a great job! (y) Have you the backplate of the motherboard? If so, it would help to put it in place, to eliminate dust as much as possible. One question: have you at least tried fitting the A500 keyboard in place, to see if it fits? I know you will use the A1200 keyboard, because it is compatible with the Keyrah interface, but i sense your RAM stick might be a little too high. You might have to swap it for a low profile RAM.. :)
I mounted on the new mobo a low profile 2gb DDR2 RAM, so no problem now! :)

Regarding the backplate, see my previous post!

---------- Post added at 17:24 ---------- Previous post was at 17:21 ----------

Well if you went to a 2.5 HD and moved the USB hub you could fit the
Keyrah right to were the joystick ports are that would seem like less
work and more a stock look..


View attachment 14041
Unfortunately I can't do this even if I move to a 2,5" HDD... :(
A1200's flat cable is too short, so I have to place Keyrah right under the keyboard, with no other chances...
 
Hi Enzo

It's a real bummer the keyrah's joystick ports are so inappropriately positioned for this project. I had the exact same problem when I ITX'd my A500 case (my A500++ as I like to call it :) but I solved it by tracking down an Atom based motherboard with a parallel port on it. I built a cable to use with the PP Joy driver which terminates in two proper joystick ports in their original Amiga place.

It works great but at the expense of being crippled somewhat by the video hardware - it seems if you want to have legacy connectivity such as parallel ports you have to sacrifice the video chipset :(

My tests reveal my itx A500 is equivalent to about an 030@50 or so.

Good luck on the further modifications (y)
 
Hey, wait up! :LOL:

I built a PPjoy cable too some years ago, and my D510MO has a parallel header!
So I just need the proper cable with the DB25 female connector and I'm on!

Thank you very much for the idea mate! (y)
 
First: I moved to a powerful and more compatible motherboard: Intel D510MO with an onboard Atom D150 Dual Core @1.67ghz and 2gb DDR2 RAM!

Good choice! The D510's a cracking little board - dual-core 64-bit processor, passively cooled? Hard to believe it's from the same company as the Pentium IV space heater!

Just keep an eye on CPU temps - the heatsink relies on convection to draw air through it, and there's not going to be a lot of air movement at that point, since I think, looking at the photos, that the heatsink's underneath a solid part of the the computer's casing?

Did you consider a PicoPSU, by the way?

spodspod said:
It's a real bummer the keyrah's joystick ports are so inappropriately positioned for this project. I had the exact same problem when I ITX'd my A500 case (my A500++ as I like to call it :smile: but I solved it by tracking down an Atom based motherboard with a parallel port on it. I built a cable to use with the PP Joy driver which terminates in two proper joystick ports in their original Amiga place.

The D510MO does have a parallel port - it terminates at a motherboard header instead of the usual DB25 on the backplane. For a PPJoy-style adapter an internal header is ideal :)
 
Nice work there. I am doing the same at the moment, and couldn't work out why my keyrah wasn't working with an a1200 keyboard - hadn't realised I was clamping the foil in from the wrong direction. Working keyboard now!

It would be awesome if there were some capable ARM based motherboards out there for this kind of project. Pandaboard maybe, but it would be nice to get hold of a Tegra 3 based board or similar, something with an eye on Windows 8.
 
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